SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Dengie (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 1)
Dengie is located on the coast of Essex in eastern England. It
is a large and remote area of tidal mud-flats and saltmarshes at
the eastern end of the Dengie peninsula, between the adjacent
Blackwater and Crouch Estuaries. The saltmarsh is the largest
continuous example of its type in Essex. Foreshore, saltmarsh and
beaches support an outstanding assemblage of rare coastal flora. It
is of importance for wintering populations of Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus, wildfowl and waders.
Dengie is an integral component of the phased Mid-Essex Coast
SPA.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies under Article 4.1 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following species listed on Annex I of the
Directive:
Over winter;
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, 1,156 individuals
representing at least 2.2% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, 5 individuals
representing at least 0.7% of the wintering population in Great
Britain (5 year mean 1994/95-1998/99)
This site also qualifies under Article 4.2 of
the Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following migratory species:
Over winter;
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola, 2,411 individuals
representing at least 1.6% of the wintering Eastern Atlantic -
wintering population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Knot Calidris canutus, 8,393 individuals representing
at least 2.4% of the wintering Northeastern
Canada/Greenland/Iceland/Northwestern Europe population (5 year
peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6)
Assemblage qualification: A wetland of international
importance.
The area qualifies under Article 4.2 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by regularly supporting at least 20,000
waterfowl
Over winter, the area regularly supports 31,452 individual
waterfowl (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6) including:
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa islandica, Dunlin
Calidris alpina alpina, Lapwing Vanellus
vanellus, Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus,
Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla,
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatus, Knot Calidris canutus, Grey
Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa
lapponica.
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.
Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.